Honkers Lose To Stingers 8-4

(Rochester, Minn.)— The Rochester Honkers fell to the Willmar Stingers 8-4 on Thursday night at Mayo Field. Marcus Ethen (Nebraska-Omaha) was charged with the loss for Rochester after giving up four runs in just 0.2 innings of work in his first appearance as a Honker. Reliever Colton Boucher (Northern State) got the win for Willmar.

Joshua Pigg/rochesterhonkers.com

Rochester starter Josh Pigg went five innings and gave up just one earned run in his first action since June 6th to earn the no decision.

Joe DeRoche-Duffin (UCONN) saw his 12-game hit streak come to an end as he went 0-4 with three strikeouts.

Rochester took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, breaking up the tie on an RBI single from Sam Hall (Dixie State) that brought Cole Krzmarzick (Nevada) and Ryan Webberley (Cal Poly Pomona).

Willmar got one back as they plated an unearned run in the fifth, but the Honkers would respond in the bottom of the inning with a run batted in off the bat of Alex Schultz (Nebraska Omaha).

The Stingers would hit a two-run home run off Spencer Greer (Dixie State) in the sixth to take the lead 4-3, and Willmar would score four times in the seventh and once in the eighth to take an 8-3 lead.

Rochester came up with another run in the bottom of the ninth, but that’s all the closer the Honkers would get as they fell 8-4.

The Stingers further secured their position atop the North division overall standings, while the Honkers stayed back in third overall. They also fell back in the second half, sitting in fifth in the division with a 9-7 record.

The Honkers and Stingers will square off again tonight in Rochester at 7:05 p.m. Gates will open at 6 p.m. It will be Fly RST night, with a chance for fans to win a $400 Travel Voucher for Rochester International Airport, courtesy of RST and Townsquare Media.